Not the person you replied to, but I can confirm network effects works.

My little sister is the baby of the family out of 4 and is excellent at everything to do with words. My mom's favorite story is when my sister was very young (I think 3 or 4) asked if the woods near our house had brambles.

No one had ever said that word to her... she read it from a book and figured out what it was by herself.